Q. If a Federal Election was held today to which party will you probably give your first preference vote? If not sure, which party are you currently leaning toward? If don’t know – Well which party are you currently leaning to?

Total

Last week 8/8/17

2 weeks ago 1/8/17

4 weeks ago 18/7/17

Election 2 Jul 16

Liberal

34%

34%

36%

33%

National

3%

3%

3%

3%

Total Liberal/National

37%

37%

38%

36%

42.0%

Labor

39%

39%

36%

38%

34.7%

Greens

9%

9%

10%

10%

10.2%

Nick Xenophon Team

2%

3%

4%

3%

Pauline Hanson’s One Nation

8%

8%

8%

7%

Other/Independent

6%

5%

4%

6%

13.1%

2 party preferred

Liberal National

46%

46%

48%

46%

50.4%

Labor

54%

54%

52%

54%

49.6%

Sample = 1,815. The data in the above tables comprise 2-week averages derived from the first preference/leaning to voting questions. Respondents who select ‘don’t know’ are not included in the results. The two-party preferred estimate is calculated by distributing the votes of the other parties according to their preferences at the 2016 election.

Q. Which of the following statement best describe your view of the Federal Government?

Total

Vote Labor

Vote Lib/Nat

Vote Greens

Vote other

I don’t like their policies or the decisions they have been making

41%

64%

10%

69%

54%

I like their policies and am satisfied with the progress they are making

15%

8%

31%

9%

2%

I like their policies but they are not making enough progress in implementing them

28%

16%

49%

11%

31%

Don’t know

16%

13%

11%

11%

13%

Respondents were divided strongly according to party preferences on the Government’s policies. 41% said they don’t like the Government’s policies while 43% like their policies. However, for those who like their policies a majority (28%) believed they were not making enough progress in implementing them and while only 15% were satisfied with the progress they are making.

Among Liberal/National voters about half (49%) liked their policies but were dissatisfied with the progress they are making.

Q. Australia’s current top income tax rate is 47% on earnings over $180,000. Do you think this rate is too high, too low or about right?

Total

Vote Labor

Vote Lib/Nat

Vote Greens

Vote other

Income less than $600 pw

Income $600-$1,000pw

Income $1,000-$1,500 pw

Income $1,500- $2,000 pw

Income $2,000+ pw

Too high

33%

32%

38%

24%

29%

21%

26%

36%

36%

46%

Too low

12%

14%

12%

9%

20%

11%

13%

14%

13%

12%

About right

39%

40%

41%

48%

37%

44%

45%

33%

43%

35%

Don’t know

16%

14%

9%

18%

15%

25%

16%

17%

7%

7%

33% think that the top income rate is too high, 12% think it is too low and 39% think it is about right.

38% of Liberal/National voters think it is too high while 40% of Labor voters and 48% of Greens voters think it is about right.

Opinions were related to personal income. Those on higher incomes were more likely to think the tax rate is too high – although even those on $2,000+ pw were divided (46% too high and 47% too low or about right).

Q. The Coalition Government has decided to make a second attempt to hold a plebiscite on same-sex marriage. If it does not pass the Senate, they will hold a voluntary postal vote (which does not need legislation). Do you approve or disapprove of this approach to resolving the issue of same-sex marriage?

Total

Vote Labor

Vote Lib/Nat

Vote Greens

Vote other

Men

Women

Aged 18-34

Aged 35-54

Aged 55+

Total approve

39%

31%

49%

25%

37%

41%

37%

43%

38%

35%

Total disapprove

47%

55%

37%

69%

52%

47%

48%

42%

45%

56%

Strongly approve

14%

13%

15%

8%

15%

16%

12%

13%

14%

14%

Approve

25%

18%

34%

17%

22%

25%

25%

30%

24%

21%

Disapprove

17%

16%

18%

20%

20%

14%

20%

19%

16%

16%

Strongly disapprove

30%

39%

19%

49%

32%

33%

28%

23%

29%

40%

Don’t know

14%

13%

13%

6%

11%

13%

15%

15%

16%

8%

Respondents were more likely to disapprove of the Government’s plan for addressing the issue of same-sex marriage. 39% approved but 47% disapproved.

Those most likely disapprove were Greens voters (69%) and Labor voters (55%) while 49% of Liberal/National voters approved.

Younger voters were more likely to approve of the Government’s decision – 43% of those aged 18-34 approved compared to 35% of those aged 55+.

Q. In the last two years, do you think your and your household’s income has gone up more than the cost of living, fallen behind or stayed even with the cost of living?

Total

Work full time

Work part time

Income less than $600 pw

Income $600-$1,000

pw

Income $1,000-$1,500 pw

Income $1,500 – $2,000 pw

Income $2,000+ pw

Oct 2014

Mar 2015

Nov 2015

Feb 2016

Gone up more

15%

22%

15%

11%

11%

13%

21%

21%

13%

15%

14%

13%

Fallen behind

53%

47%

54%

69%

58%

54%

50%

42%

48%

50%

54%

51%

Stayed even

25%

24%

27%

14%

25%

25%

26%

34%

31%

27%

26%

29%

Don’t know

6%

7%

5%

6%

6%

8%

3%

3%

8%

7%

5%

7%

53% (up 2% since February 2016) believe that, in the last two years, their income has fallen behind the cost of living. 25% (down 4%) think it has stayed even with the cost of living and 15% (up 2%) think it has gone up more.

69% of those earning under $600 pw and 58% of those earning $600-1,000 pw think their income has fallen behind while 55% of those earning over $2,000 pw think it has stayed the same or gone up.

Q. Which of the following statements best describes your financial situation?

Total

Work full time

Work part time

Income less than $600 pw

Income $600-$1,000

pw

Income $1,000-$1,500 pw

Income $1,500 – $2,000 pw

Income $2,000+ pw

Oct 2014

Mar 2015

Feb 2016

I don’t have enough money for basic essentials like housing food and electricity

8%

6%

9%

21%

7%

8%

6%

4%

7%

8%

6%

I have enough money for basic essentials but I cannot save any money

40%

35%

31%

53%

46%

41%

34%

28%

35%

39%

35%

I have enough money for basic essentials and I can save a little money

42%

45%

50%

22%

40%

45%

53%

48%

47%

44%

49%

I have enough money for basic essentials and I can save a lot of money

7%

11%

7%

1%

2%

4%

5%

19%

8%

7%

8%

Don’t know

3%

3%

4%

3%

5%

2%

1%

1%

4%

2%

3%

42% say they have enough money for basic essentials and can save a little money and 40% say they have enough money for basic essentials but cannot save any money. Only 7% say they can save a lot of money.

Only 23% of those earning less than $600 pw say they can save any money – compared to 67% of those earning over $2,000 pw.

Overall, there has been a slight decline in financial situations since this question was asked in February last year – 48% (up 7%) say they cannot save any money and 49% (down 8%) say they can.

Q. Compared to two or three years ago is your household paying more or less for the following –

Paying a lot more

Paying a little more

Paying about the same

Paying a little less

Paying a lot less

Don’t know

Feb 2013

Paying a lot more

Mar 2014

Paying a lot more

Feb 2016

Paying a lot more

Electricity and gas

59%

25%

12%

1%

1%

2%

70%

62%

34%

Insurance

31%

38%

21%

3%

1%

7%

43%

36%

24%

Medical, dental

30%

33%

31%

2%

1%

3%

33%

32%

23%

Fresh food – fruit, vegetables, meat

29%

40%

26%

2%

<1%

2%

36%

36%

25%

Petrol

27%

32%

26%

6%

2%

6%

50%

56%

19%

Water

26%

39%

26%

2%

1%

7%

47%

40%

13%

Housing – mortgage or rent

23%

25%

33%

5%

3%

10%

24%

24%

14%

Packaged food

21%

38%

34%

3%

1%

4%

28%

26%

15%

Education

18%

20%

28%

3%

4%

27%

24%

21%

16%

Clothing

14%

30%

44%

8%

2%

3%

21%

17%

13%

Items which respondents said they were “paying a lot more” for were electricity and gas (59%), insurance (31%) and medical/dental (30%).

Since this question was asked in February last year, for all items, the perceptions of paying a lot more have increased substantially. However, these results are similar on most items to the surveys of 2013 and 2014.